A patient undergoing a surgical procedure is generally at least partially covered by a surgical drape. The surgical procedure is often performed through a fenestration or opening in the drape. The drape performs several functions during the operation. Surgical drapes are sterilized prior to use so that the drape provides a protective barrier between the nonsterile patient and operating table and the sterile clothing of the surgeon. Single use, disposable surgical drapes are commonly used; such drapes generally are sterile and prefolded in a protective package, ready for draping over the patient.
Another function of surgical drapes is to disperse fluid runoff from the surgical site so that it does not obstruct the working of the surgeon and so that it does not soil the patient. If there is only a small amount of fluid runoff from the surgical site, it may be simply dispersed across the surface of the drape; some drapes are produced with an absorbent upper surface in order to absorb such fluid runoff. Where a substantial amount of fluid runoff is expected from the surgical site, means for channeling that fluid into an appropriate receptacle may be provided by the drape. Such drapes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 759,084 issued to Eggers & Stahl on May 3, 1904, and 3,650,267 issued to Anderson on Mar. 21, 1972.
Drapes may have pouches built into or attached to the drapes in order to capture fluid runoff from the surgical site. Drapes with such pouches are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,791,382 issued to Collins on Feb. 12, 1974, and 4,323,062 issued to Canty on Apr. 6, 1982.
Pouches or bags or similar apparatus have been used to collect fluid runoff from a surgical site in order to measure the quantity of fluid draining from the site. Such pouches or bags are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,199,507 issued to Kamm on Aug. 10, 1965; 3,364,928 issued to Creager, Zinck & Pereny on Jan. 23, 1968; 3,386,444 issued to Brenner & Reser on June 4, 1968; 3,575,225 issued to Muheim on Apr. 20, 1971; and 4,007,741 issued to Waldrop & Brantley on Feb. 15, 1977.
Drapes designed primarily for use in craniotomy surgical procedures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,911,912 issued to Krebs & Arps on Oct. 14, 1975; 3,952,738 issued to Krzewinski on Apr. 27, 1976; and 3,955,569 issued to Krzewinski & Gorrie on May 11, 1976.
A large amount of fluid runoff from the surgical site is often associated with craniotomy surgery. Fluid collection bags may be attached to craniotomy drapes in order to capture such fluid runoff. Fluid collection bags for craniotomy drapes are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,472 issued to Morris on Oct. 2, 1979, and in a sales brochure entitled "Steri-Drape Irrigation Pouch" issued by the Surgical Products Division of the 3M Company, St. Paul, Minn. (undated).